No. 8 Wildcats Closeout Regular Season on Senior Day Hosting No. 11 Lindsey Wilson
No. 8 Wildcats Closeout Regular Season on Senior Day Hosting No. 11 Lindsey Wilson
MCKENZIE, Tenn. After two straight road victories, the Bethel Wildcats return home Saturday to face No.11 Lindsey Wilson in the regular season finales for both squads. Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
It will be Senior Day at Wildcat Stadium with football and cheer seniors honored before the game. Ceremonies will begin at 12:25 p.m. Band seniors will be saluted and recognized at halftime.
The Wildcats are 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the league. The Blue Raiders are 7-2 and 4-1.
It will be the 10th meeting between the two programs. The Cats snapped a Blue Raider 28 game conference winning streak with a 21-16 victory last year in Columbia. LWC had won three in a row in the series. The Blue Raiders have a 6-3 advantage between the two.
Stats:
https://bethel.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/boxscores/20231111_lixz.xml
Watch:
https://www.bethelathletics.com/watch
Listen:
https://www.thefarmradio.com/farm-sports-and-events
Tickets:
https://bethel.prestosports.com/tickets
The Match-up:
The Wildcats are 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the league. The Blue Raiders are 7-2 and 4-1.
Bethel is 5-1 at home this season while the Raiders are 3-1 on the road this year.
Both teams suffered losses to Georgetown. Lindsey Wilson's other loss was to Keiser.
Bethel is second in the nation in scoring, averaging 45.1 points per outing.
It will be the 499th game in program history with Bethel's record at 203- 287 -8.
Last Game:
Bethel:
The Wildcats ran their record to 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the MSC with a 36-14 road win at Campbellsville Saturday. Bethel improved to 4-0 on the road on the season.
The Tigers dropped to 4-5 and 2-3.
The game marked the 20th meeting between the two programs with the series now tied at 10-10.
The Wildcats opened the game with a time-consuming drive but had to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Andrew Welch. After a drive and score by the Tigers, the Cats answered to make it a 7-6 game on a 29-yard field goal by Welch.
The second quarter saw the Cats take the lead again. After a Campbellsville turnover the Wildcats scored as Joaquin Collazo hit Jaylen Taylor from four yards out to give Bethel a 13-7 lead. Another turnover by the Tigers led to a short drive and a score when Collazo found Avont Burris for a 14-yard strike and the Cats took a 20-7 lead at the half.
A third quarter safety by Bethel upped their lead to 22-7. A fumble by Campbellsville led to another Bethel score. A 45-yard drive was capped off by a Martize Smith four- yard touchdown scamper. Bethel grabbed a 29-7 lead with 9:16 left in the third quarter. Campbellsville scored with just over four minutes left in the third to cut the Wildcat lead to 29-14.
The Cat defense stepped up big early in the fourth quarter holding the Tigers on a fourth down play at the Wildcat seven. The Wildcat offense then did their job with a seven play 93- yard four-minute drive that gave Bethel a 36-14 margin. The drive ended with J. D. Dixon catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Collazo.
Bethel finished with 254 yards passing and 144 yards rushing.
By the Numbers & Another Record Setting Day:
J.D Dixon- Nine receptions for 163 yards
Dixon's touchdown reception was 15th on season which ties him for most in a season. Isaiah Hookfin had 15 in 2003.
Demetrice Gilbert's interception gave him 17 career picks which is the most in program history.
Brian Hughes and Javonte Carter had key interceptions.
Martize Smith had 18 carries for a game high 96 yards.
Joaquin Collazo was 24-of-34 in passing for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
Darrien Lewis led Bethel with 14 total tackles and a fumble recovery. Brody Franks, Nelson Louis, Tim Hamilton and Quinterion Winn also had fumble recoveries.
The five fumble recoveries set a record for most in a single game.
Kicker Andrew Welch has two field goals and four extra points giving him 10 points on the day. Welch now has 93 points on the season which is a new single season game mark.
Bethel has come away with points 48 times of their 54 Red Zone possessions. The Cats have a 48 percent mark in third down conversions.
LWC:
Lindsey Wilson picked up a 45-2 victory over Cumberland (Tenn.) Saturday at Parnell Family Stadium on Senior Day.
The Blue Raiders (7-2, 4-1 Mid-South Conference) outgained the Phoenix (4-5, 1-4 MSC) 393 to 187. Ethan Cash completed 19 of his 28 passes throwing for 263 yards and four touchdowns. Jbias Dawson carried the ball 12 time for 117 yards and a touchdown while Quantae Hicks caught three passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Coaches:
Michael Jasper is in his fifth year as head coach of the Wildcats. Coach Jasper also serves as Associate Athletic Director of Internal Operations.
Before becoming the head coach, Jasper served as Assistant Head Coach and worked with the defensive line. Prior to that he held the titles of Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator, as well as overseeing the strength and conditioning program.
The Wildcats were 11-1 last year. Jasper picked up his first conference coach of the year honor after guiding Bethel to its sixth overall title. The undefeated regular season was the first in program history. Bethel was ranked No. 4 in the national poll. Coach Jasper was named NAIA Region 1 Coach of the Year.
Coach Jasper's career record is 35 -16 overall and 22-13 in conference play. Before joining the Bethel staff, Jasper served as Offensive and Defensive Line Assistant at Bishop Timon High School in Buffalo, N.Y. Mike spent three years in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Coach Jasper played for the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2005 and was a starter on their 2006 Ohio Valley Conference championship team. After redshirting at Middle Tennessee State University,
Coach Jasper joined the Bethel University Wildcats and was an offensive and defensive lineman from 2008-2010. He was the first-ever Wildcat drafted to the NFL in 2011 with his selection by the Buffalo
Bills.
He graduated from Bethel University with a bachelors degree in university studies. Mike and his wife Allison, along with their children Davis Reid, Millie Claire and Samuel David reside in McKenzie.
Their rescue dog is named Caine.
On December 14, 2021, Phil Kleckler was named the second head coach in Lindsey Wilson's football history. He had previously spent five years as the Blue Raiders' defensive coordinator, helping the team to an impressive 53-6 record.
During his first season at the helm of the program in 2022, Kleckler led Lindsey Wilson to its seventh consecutive appearance in the NAIA Football Championship Series quarterfinals with an overall record of 10-2.
Under Klecker's leadership, the Blue Raider defense led the NAIA and set program records for points per game (10.3), fewest points allowed (123), fewest total yards allowed (2,586), fewest rushing yards allowed (373), fewest rushing yards per game (31.1), and sacks (52).
Kleckler was named the 2020 FootballScoop NAIA Coordinator of the Year following Lindsey Wilson's national championship run in 2020. The Blue Raiders posted an 11-0 record during the season while holding their opponents to 14.4 points per game and producing 33-1/2 sacks -- tying a program record set in 2014.
Over four of the last five seasons, the Lindsey Wilson defense has rewritten the program record for points allowed. In 2018 the Blue Raiders surrendered 181 points, in 2020 Lindsey Wilson gave up 158 points and allowed just 146 in 2022 before limiting opponents to 123 total points last season.
Kleckler came to Lindsey Wilson after six seasons at Benedictine (Ill.), where he served as the defensive and recruiting coordinator. He also boasts coaching stints at Occidental (Calif.) and Averett (Va.).
Did You Know?
- Joaquin Collazo was named the MSC Offensive Player of the Week two weeks ago. It was the fourth time this season and eighth time of his career he has captured the award. Collazo set a new school record with eight touchdowns at Faulkner.
- Collazo was also named the NAIA Offensive Player of the Week.
- Three other Wildcats have won the award this season. Demetrice Gilbert, Jaylen Taylor and Andrew Welch were named Player of the Week earlier this season.
- Two weeks ago, Jaylen Taylor had a record setting performance with 227 receiving yards against Faulkner which is a new single game program record.
- By the Numbers & Another Record Setting Day at Campbellsville:
- J.D Dixon- Nine receptions for 163 yards
- Dixon's touchdown reception was 15th on season which ties him for most in a season. Isaiah Hookfin had 15 in 2003.
- Demetrice Gilbert's interception gave him 17 career picks which is the most in program history.
- The five fumble recoveries set a record for most in a single game.
- Kicker Andrew Welch has two field goals and four extra points giving him 10 points on the day. Welch now has 93 points on the season which is a new single season game mark.
- Coach Michael Jasper was among those inducted into Bethel's Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year.
- Coach Jasper was inducted as a result of his playing career at the school. He was joined by:
Dave Jesse-Men's Basketball
Ariel Montague-Women's Track
Tom & Patty Kahlden- Contributors
One lucky fan will have a chance to win free Pepsi for a year from Pepsi MidAmerica at the game…Details will be announced throughout the game.
The 2023 Football Media Guide is available now on the Bethel Athletic page. Keep up with the Cats this season with the on-line version at: https://www.calameo.com/bethel-university/read/003316375ff645033edbb
- Bethel University Athletics and Worthy Road Studios, a leader in sports streaming, announced a partnership between the two for coverage of Bethel Athletic events beginning this year.
Under the newly announced partnership, Worthy Road Studios will stream all home football games and selected home basketball games.
The agreement will feature upgraded production. Features such as slow-motion instant replays and different camera angles will be included.
Worthy Road Studios also produces live broadcast of the Jackson Rockabilly Baseball team, Union University, Trenton Peabody, Jackson Christian, University School of Jackson and Trinity Christian Academy sporting events. The Ballgame Blitz, the best source for West Tennessee, is all produced by Worthy Road Studios.
Be sure to like and follow Worthy Road Studios, the Ballgame Blitz on Facebook and subscribe to Worthy Road Studios YOU TUBE Channel.
The Ballgame Blitz is also on Twitter, so you can follow the sports broadcasts there as well.
Bethel games are available with audio coverage again this year on WEIO, 100.9 and www.thefarmradio.com
Other games and sports are carried on the Wildcat streaming service at: https://bethelathletics.com/watch
Golden Boosters and sponsors for Bethel Athletics this year are:
West Tennessee Public Utilities
Smith & Smith Optometry
Steven Morton & State Farm Insurance
Trevathan's Electrical Services
Carroll Bank & Trust
Nicky Jo Stafford Real Estate
City Florist
Anchor Transportation
Centennial Bank
Mazza Painting
Hometown Health
Hometown Hangout
The Press Box sponsor for the game is Rivals. Be sure and drop by Rivals after the game.